On September 9th, 2026, the Catalyst Center celebrated a milestone three years in the making: the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the Catalyst for Wellness in Community (CWC) Apprenticeship Program.

Graduates, employers, partners, colleagues, families, and supporters gathered at Chabot College in Hayward to recognize the accomplishments of apprentices completing the program throughout 2026 — and to celebrate just how far our first cohort has come.

Building Pathways Into Behavioral Health

The CWC Apprenticeship Program is an earn-and-learn pathway into behavioral health careers that combines paid on-the-job experience with education, mentorship, and professional development.

The program was created to expand pathways into the behavioral health workforce, including for people with lived experience and those from nontraditional educational backgrounds. Over the past three years, our inaugural cohort has learned on the job, developed new skills, built connections, and grown both personally and professionally.

At the celebration, graduates reflected on what that journey has meant to them.

“This apprenticeship helped me realize that my lived experiences were not weaknesses. They became tools to help support other people. And that viewpoint changed the way I see myself and my future,” shared graduate Calvin Fammons.

For Carmen Lee, the experience brought a new sense of confidence: “I came into this apprenticeship wanting to learn and improve, but I walked away with more confidence in myself and what I'm capable of.”

Community, Connection, & New Possibilities

Throughout the evening, graduates spoke not only about career development, but also about growth, possibility, and the relationships they built along the way.

“I have grown, healed, and learned so much because of this apprenticeship program,” shared Lilly Lee. “I was wrong. It isn't too late, my options are many, and the doors are wide open.”

Vonnique Mitchell reflected on another lesson she will carry forward: “It really takes true connection and true community to win, to succeed. Community within community, that's what I'm taking with me: community and connection. And I'm going to continue to ripple that.”

Those reflections capture what made this milestone so meaningful. The graduation celebrated the accomplishments of individual apprentices while also recognizing the community of employers, educators, mentors, partners, families, and supporters who helped make their journeys possible.

Hear From Our Graduates

What better way to tell the story of our first cohort than to hear directly from them?

In the video below, graduates Victor Camarena, Calvin Fammons, Carmen Lee, Lilly Lee, Vonnique Mitchell, and Ashley Robinson reflect on their experiences in the CWC Apprenticeship Program, the challenges they've overcome, what they've learned, and what they're carrying with them into the future.

Congratulations to our graduates! We're proud of everything you've accomplished and excited to see what comes next.